Ship construction



i Dec. 20, 1938. J. M. SPONSLER SHIP coNsTRUcToN Filed Aug. ll, 1937 Patented Dec. 2o, 193s 2,140,774

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHIP CONSTRUCTION John M. Sponsler, Birmingham, Ala.

Application August 11, 1937, Serial No. 158,482

1 Claim. (Cl. 114-05) My invention relates to ship construction and by means of screws 29. A circular flange 3| prohas for an object the provision of a construction jects outwardly from the wall of the diving bell, adapted to permit the salvaging of articles of and inciroling the opening 21, for engagement value, such as jewelry, money, etc., from the with the face of the flange II. In order to prostrong room of sunken vessels. vide a water tight seat, the outer edge of the It is a further object of my invention to proflange 3| may be provided with a facing 32 convide a ship construction embodying a strong room sisting of relatively soft metal, such as lead. A for the storage of articles of great value, and deplurality of clamping members 33 are provided signed to permit the use of a diving bell for salwith off-set portions 34 at their outer ends for envaging the articles from the strong room. gagement with the back side of flanges II. The 10 It is a further object of my invention to provide clamping members are mounted in openings 3B a plurality of passageways leading from the top formed in the wall 26 and are threaded at 31 to and sides of a vessel to the strong room and proreceive adjustment nuts 38. The inner ends of viding two or more closures for each passageway. the clamping members are provided with square lo By providing several passageways leading to the heads 39 for moving the off-set portions 34 into 15 strong room, the salvaging crew may choose the clamping position with the flange II. Stuffing most accessible way. It is also desirable to have boxes 4I are provided to prevent leakage around more than one passageway leading to the strong the clamping members.

room as one of same may become damaged due In salvaging articles of value from sunken vesto a collision of vessels, or for some other reason, sels embodying my improved construction, the 20 rendered useless. diving bell is lowered for engagement with one My invention embodies other novel features, of the anges II and secured thereto by means of details of construction and arrangement of parts the clamping members 33. After a water-tight which are hereinafter set forth in the speciconnection has been effected between the ring 3| 5 cation and claim and illustrated in the accomand the flange I I, the operators within the diving 2 panying drawing, forming part thereof, wherein: bell then remove the screws 29 and the cover 28 The single figure in the drawing is a fragmento provide access to the cover I2. The cover I2 tary view in transverse section showing the conis then removed to permit one of the men to move struction and arrangement of passageways leadthrough the passageway I4 and unlock the strong o ing to a strong room located in a vessel, and also room door I9. In the event the passageway se- 30 showing the manner in which a diving bell may be lected for entrance to the strong room has for any secured to the ship for transferring valuables from reason become flooded with water, the cover I2 of the strong room to the diving bell. that passageway is sealed against the flange II Referring now to the drawing for a better unand the cover 28 is replaced in position to cover derstanding of my invention, I show the sides 5 the opening 21 in the diving bell. The clamping 35 and 6 and the deck 1 of a vessel having a strong members 33 are then released and the diving bell room Blocated therein. The sides and deck of the is moved into position to effect an entrance vessel are provided with openings 9 having sleeves through one of the other passageways. It will II) secured therein. The sleeves are welded to the thus be seen that a vessel provided with the g ship, or otherwise secured thereto, and have strong room and passageway construction herein 40 flanges II provided at their outer ends to reset forth permits a ready removal of valuables ceive the covers I2. These covers may be secured contained within the strong room in the event to their respective flanges by means of bolts I3. that the vessel should sink, and that the provision Water tight passageways I4 extend from the of two or more passageways leading to the strong openings 9 to the openings I6 formed in the shell room permits the diving bell to be readily posi-v I of the strong room and are welded in position to tioned for entrance of the men through one or the ship hull at I1 and to the strong room shell at more of the passageways.

I8. Suitable water tight closures I9 are provided While I have shown my invention in but one for the strong room to close the opening I6 and form it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it may, if desired, be provided with suitable locking is not so limited but is susceptible of various 50 means, such as a combination lock, the knob of changes and modifications without departing which is indicated at 2|. from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore,

I show a portion of a diving bell 25 having an that only such limitations shall be placed thereouter wall 28 provided with an opening 21. A covupon as are imposed by the prior art.

er 28 is secured in position to cover the opening Iclaim: 55

The combination with a ship having a hull and deck, of a water-tight safe disposed in spaced relation to the hull and deck of the ship and having a plurality of openings formed therein, safe doors provided with looks operable from the outside of the safe and having a Water-tight contact with their respective openings, means dening openings located on opposite sides of the hull of the ship, Water-tight closure members for 10 said hull openings, means accessible from the out- 

